ADAM McGurk admitted his relief at ending his goal drought for Burton Albion on Saturday, especially after missing a hatful of good chances earlier in the game.

The striker scored his first goal since November to rescue a point for the Brewers at home to Exeter City at the Pirelli Stadium, netting just two minutes after the Grecians had opened the scoring.

After failing to find the back of the net for eight games, McGurk latched onto Zeli Ismail’s neat cross and fired through a crowd of bodies to beat ex-Brewer Artur Krysiak.

“I just tried to keep it down and hit the target,” said the Northern Ireland striker.

“I haven’t scored for I don’t know how many games and it’s been playing on my mind in the last few.

“So it’s good to finally break my duck, and hopefully now I can get a little run going and get back up the scoring charts.”

In the first half, McGurk saw one half-volley fire off target, and an attempted chip cleared off the line, of which he said: “In hindsight I probably should have let it come down and side-footed it low and hard.

“It was frustrating, but that meant it was more of a relief when I did score because I had those chances in the first half.

“The last few games I haven’t really been given any chances, but at least the balls were coming into the box today.”

Just before Albion equalised, Gary Rowett had got Dominic Knowles and new signing Gary Alexander stripped and ready to come on, but both were re-seated after McGurk reminded his manager of his scoring ability.

“I didn’t see it (the substitutes getting ready), but we went a goal behind so obviously the manager’s going to want to make changes.”

Of Alexander, alongside whom he played for seven minutes, McGurk said: “I think everyone knows he’s an experienced pro and he’s sort of a target man, good at holding the ball up.

“Obviously it was difficult today with the wind, but hopefully he can bring something else and give me, Billy (Kee) and (Dominic) Knowlesy some competition, and make us work harder to stay in the team.

“Hopefully he can bring some goals as well and we can get a little run going.”

McGurk’s goal came courtesy of a good cross from Ismail, who was lively all game once again, and claimed his third assist in four games.

“You know what you’re getting from him, you don’t have to go and support him, you can just leave him one on one and he’ll give good delivery,” said McGurk.

“He put one in during the first half that I just put over.

“You know what he’s going to do, so all you have to do is get in the box and he’ll give you that supply.”

Like the previous weekend against Fleetwood Town, the weather and a poor pitch played a huge part on Saturday, preventing either team from stringing passes together.

“Overall, it was probably a fair result,” said McGurk.

“I had a couple of chances in the first half to maybe go ahead, and they did too.

“Obviously the conditions weren’t great, and the ball was blowing all over the place.

“Like the manager said, it could be a good point come the end of the season, so we’ll move on and try and get a win next Saturday.”

After missing the 4-2 defeat to the Cod Army through illness, McGurk said: “I didn’t feel great today, but I’m over the illness.

“It took a lot out of me and it was good just to get back and get that game under my belt.

“Hopefully that will do me good and I’ll be sharper next week.”

That next game sees Albion travel to Morecambe, and McGurk is not expecting much improvement in the quality of playing surface on the north coast.

“We’re going to have to be competitive,” he said.

“I doubt their pitch is going to be great either so it’s just going to be a battle, and it’s about who can work the hardest and create something in the final third.